This is a seriously difficult one to answer because a) as I said before, I’m not much for pairings per se anyhow — and certainly don’t pick stories based on any such criteria — and b) I don’t dislike many characters that much, not even enough to avoid reading something featuring them.

One potential avenue here might be slash: I dislike pretty much all slash, so something would have to be really good to overcome my preferences there. On that basis, just about the only possibility that comes to my mind would be “the Way, Way Back”, by Liz Estrada. Quality fic with good plotting, good descriptions, and many good moments …

… However, I believe I’ll go a different direction with this one. “Telling Porkies”, by beer_good_foamy, is silly, fun, unexpected, and unexpectedly entertaining. More to the point, it meets the standard of the question by centering on a ‘character’ (Mister Gordo) about whom I would never have considered the possibility of seeing a good story. Who would have believed an apocalypse could be fluffy and snuggly?

Read and see.- - - -5. Something that’s underappreciated by the universe6. Something that’s a gateway drug7. Something you reread/rewatch/look at again

Telling Porkies was definitely a fic highlight of last year. As you say, it was unexpected and very entertaining and just seeing it mentioned here makes me want to go read it again just for the hell of it.